


Time (Is An Illusion)

by Tiny_Dragongirl



Series: Love in the time of idiots [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arguing, Established Relationship, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-26
Updated: 2015-07-26
Packaged: 2018-04-11 09:38:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4430372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiny_Dragongirl/pseuds/Tiny_Dragongirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lately Arthur was snowed under with too much work and couldn't spend enough time with Merlin. Merlin is not happy about it.<br/>They fight, they kiss, and Arthur comes up with a solution.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time (Is An Illusion)

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by flannelgiraffe aaand I might have stolen the title from Douglas Adams.  
> Thank you, both of you!

’Chicken broth, Merlin, and that’s my last word.’

’Two words, actually… and are you trying to say that you’d prefer the company of low-living ladies?’

Arthur sighed and rolled his eyes. ’By chicken broth I mean chicken broth and not a brothel full of hussies.’

’Hussy is a very derogative word, Arthur.’

’Merlin, we’re barely spending time together – are you sure that you want to spend it arguing about semantics?’ Arthur thought his question was quite innocent, and certainly he was impatient only because he was hungry and not because he was trying to pick at Merlin, but still, his boyfriend must have felt challenged by it – taken the turn of the evening…

’But why don’t we do things together anymore?’

’I’m busy…’

Recently Arthur took a major position at his father’s business (Camelot Group, an underwear company) and he had to cancel more dates with Merlin than he would have wanted. Since he didn’t want to cancel any of them, this was an easy goal to reach. He always told Merlin how sorry he was about it and he thought that Merlin must have felt his sadness about it.

Sadly, Merlin chose that evening to voice his own disappointment about the cancelled dates.

’Oh, I am so sorry that you are such an important person that when we are together, I have to choose my words and topics very carefully so as not to waste your precious time!’

’Merlin..’

’It’s fine, Arthur, it’s fine. I just really don’t want to talk to you right now. At all.’

’Merlin.’

’Okay, maybe it’s not fine, but I don’t want to wait and listen to you calling me a stubborn, childish idiot, so I’m going home.’ Merlin got up from the couch, rushed to the door but stopped there, his eyes fixed on the floor. Like he wanted to go but he also wanted to hear Arthur ask him to stay. So much for childish moves.

’Is that so?’

Merlin obstinately kept his eyes on the floor.

Arthur frowned. ’Fine.’                                                                     

’Fine?’

’Fine.’

’Okay. I’m going,’ he said and stayed.

’All right, Merlin.’

’And I am going now.’

’You know where the door is.’

’Yes and I’ll be out of that door in a blink of an eye.’

’Take your time.’

’Okay,’ and Merlin turned to leave but Arthur was hot on his heels. In a blink of an eye. 'Seriously, what are you doing?'

’I am coming with you.’

Merlin really wanted to bang his head into the wall.

’You know, it’s really tiresome that you end all of our arguments with some childish move,’ he said eventually, which was a hundred percent more mature thing than banging his head into the wall.

’But _you_ know that you don’t actually want to leave and _I_ know that it’s better to spend my time arguing with you than letting you leave and then spending my time sulking and alone… and that’s why we are standing on my doorstep, making angry faces at each other.’

Merlin huffed, still resentfully.

’So, back to the beginning: we intended to order something to eat…’ Arthur started carefully, ’…but how about going out somewhere? You choose the place. It doesn’t have to serve chicken broth.’

In the end they managed to leave the threshold and went out, since it seemed to be easier not to have an argument in a public place, ate Chinese heartily, had a cultured chat, snogged vehemently and had some awesome make-up sex. The days went by and smoothed things between them.

Two and a half weeks later, on a Saturday, the morning sunshine reached the boys in Arthur’s bed. Said person was in a pensive mood, while Merlin was still half asleep, resting with his back against Arthur’s chest.

‘Merlin,’ Arthur poked him gently.

‘Mmm?’ His boyfriend mumbled back.

‘Merlin!’ Arthur poked him again, this time not so gently. ‘I want to have a serious talk with you now.’

‘Uh-huh?’

‘Please.’

Merlin suddenly became very alert. ‘Like, really serious?’

Arthur nodded. ‘Very serious.’

‘I am listening.’ Merlin rolled onto his back. Arthur propped himself up on an elbow, watching Merlin, deep in thought.

’Remember the time we had a quarrel about me being too busy, hence neglecting you and our relationship?’

‘You make it sound like it happened ages ago.’

‘Merlin, just nod, please.’ Merlin nodded. ‘Okay. So, in our not-so-long-ago quarrel we both agreed that we didn’t spend enough time together lately. And I know that it happened solely because lately I put business forward…’

’Even worse if you say that you put briefs and panties forward.’

Arthur suppressed a frustrated sigh. ’I’m trying to be serious here.’

’And I’m not making it easy for you,’ Merlin answered all too seriously, despite his usual goofy-ish smile.

’Pity. Anyway, I am sorry. I mean it. It might seem that I just keep repeating it, but I am really, truly sorry,’ and he looked deeply into Merlin’s eyes.

Merlin quirked his eyebrows. ‘But?’

’There is no _but_ ,’ Arthur rolled his eyes. ‘Except… if I think about it, there is one.’ He paused for a moment, relishing the tension he created, because no one can resist being a drama queen from time to time. (Especially not Arthur Pendragon.) ‘ _But_ it’s not easy for you when you are in love with someone whose face you’d just like to smack and to kiss at the same time.’

’Oh, and now you’re being _too_ romantic.’

’More like all the time.’ Arthur rolled onto his stomach, fingers fiddling with his pillow. 'So, it's true that I don't spend enough time with you. Actually, that's why I said it back then.'

’Wow, Arthur, that’s really deep.’

’Do you ever shut up?’

Merlin didn’t answer but quirked his eyebrows. Again. In a very challenging way.

Arthur prepared himself for the hardest part. He turned his head towards his boyfriend, trying to keep up the eye-contact. 'All right. The thing is... that... well... What I want to ask... what I am trying to ask... is... that... would you move in with me?’

Merlin’s eyes widened. ‘Seriously?’

Arthur smiled a little. ‘I thought we were having a serious talk.’

‘Well, I thought we were having a different kind of serious talk,’ Merlin muttered, rolling onto his side, trying to face Arthur more closely. ‘Okay, me and you, living together. Perfect. I am totally into it. But… why?’

‘Do I really have to spell it out for you? I know that you are not this stupid, you just like to hear me saying nice things to you.’ By this time Merlin half-draped himself over Arthur’s back, head pillowed on his shoulder, a full goofy smile glowing on his face. Arthur rested his chin on his crossed arms.‘Now you are smiling, but the reason won’t be nice. You are asking why. Right, I will tell you. Because I am selfish. And until I sort out my business things and find my new working rhythm, I don’t want to be missing you. I don’t want any more cancelled dates. I want to see you. At least when I come home and you’re already asleep.’

Merlin laughed and kissed Arthur’s shoulder before saying: ‘Totally not, because you’re madly in love with me and I love you, too’, and kissed Arthur’s shoulder again. Arthur rolled onto his back, pulling his boyfriend on top of him.

After some blissful kissing, hugging and hair-stroking, Merlin spoke again:

'Gwen has a cat now. Calls him Sir Lancelot.'

'We are definitely not adopting a cat, Merlin.'


End file.
